Sharing of airline data between EU states approved

The European Parliament has given final approval to an exchange of airline passenger data between security forces in the EU, ending a standoff between privacy advocates and those who consider the move crucial to fighting terrorism.

The law on retaining and sharing passenger name records had been stalled for years because of opposition within the European Parliament to the blanket collection of such data.

Islamist militant attacks in Paris last year and in Brussels last month spurred France and other governments to call for the swift adoption of passenger name records laws to improve security against terrorism.